Monday, January 11, 2010

REFLECTION - RIMIKO

a. INTRODUCTION
Describe the approach/strategy used.

b. DEVELOPMENT
What were the challenges encountered during implementation?
What were the tactics employed to resolve the difficulties met?
What further improvements can be suggested?

c. PERSONAL REFLECTIONS
What new insights/discoveries have I made in relation to my role as a teacher?
How will I make use of this new knowledge in future?
What further information or knowledge should I seek to expand my knowledge in relation to this context?

47 comments:

  1. 11 January 2010

    Observations:
    1. School Rules
    I’ve noticed (from the teacher’s handbook) that the Ping Yi has an interesting set of school rules, very much different from what we have in Junior College. This gave me a clearer view of the kind of behaviour and actions (negative ones) these students are most probable of displaying. I suppose, this is probably due to the different objective the school has in terms of discipline as they are targeted at a diverse group of students, which are relatively different from those of autonomous schools.

    2. Discipline
    Although I’ve personally experienced life as a neighbourhood school student for two years, the strict discipline practiced by the teachers here was definitely an eye-opener as the way they organized the students during morning assembly and before and after classes were extremely orderly, something I’ve never experienced/seen before. Practices such as making them rise for the national anthem or even leave the school hall level by level, ordering them to sit outside the classroom in two rows before entering for their lessons, are all part and parcel of attaining the desired discipline from these students.

    3. Student behaviour
    Certain students from the various classes I observed earlier on (regardless of whether they’re from the lower or upper secondary level) were rowdy and thus posed as a great distraction in class. Due to such behaviour from the students, class management is definitely a very tough job and thus difficult for the teacher to maintain orderliness in class (and this was something I’ve NEVER taken into consideration when I was still schooling in secondary school! Thus I’m starting to feel sorry for the my teachers. HAHA). However, aside from that, there was a stark contrast in terms of behaviour and the students’ attitudes towards learning as we span across the level from the express classes to the normal classes, as the normal classes tend to be harder to manage.

    The interesting stuff:
    1. Values for breakfast
    ‘Values for breakfast’ during morning assembly where a teacher/student stands on stage before everyone to share his/her own personal stories and encounters, or perhaps any other stories that may interest and at the simultaneously teach the others certain moral values, is a radical approach to instill certain life values to the students in a more interactive manner, which I believe serves as a great way to educate the students in aspects of personal/character development.

    2. The New Paper
    The students receive newspapers every other morning for the ‘silent reading session’ where some of the students (particularly NA and NT) get to read the New Paper instead of the Straits Times. The New Paper may not appear to be a good/educational reading material however, this tabloid, filled with gossips and whatnots, is able to grasp the attention of the students thus is certainly an effective tool that enables these students more interested in reading the papers.

    Food for thought:
    1. One of the lesson observations for today was Ms Pow’s Sec 3 A Math lecture conducted in the AVA room. The method of lecturing in such an environment is not foreign in a Junior College, however, in this context, it may seem like a less effective way to disseminate information to the students as I noticed that the students tend to get more distracted when they are aware that in such seating positions, it is harder for the teacher to track the actions of every student seated before him/her. As such, the students seated at the back during that were not paying much attention to the lecture and were engrossed in their own activities. Thus, I believe that the old method of teaching in a classroom would be more effective. (But, of course, this may be very subjective)

    ReplyDelete
  2. 12 January 2010

    Observations:
    1. Polya’s 4 steps to mathematical problem solving:
    The use of Polya’s 4-step method to solve mathematics problem really caught my eye due to the fact that my school, Temasek Junior College actually made use of that quite often when I was in my 1st and 2nd year of the integrated programme.

    2. The stark difference:
    Since this was the very first day I observed my buddy teacher, Ms Teh’s, class, 101, I could actually pick out the many differences between students from the secondary 1 and 4 classes, in terms of behaviour during lessons and their eagerness towards learning. The secondary 1 class was more enthusiastic and it’s really a great joy to see these young students actively participating during the lesson (well, it’s been a LONG time since I’ve been in a secondary one class, haha)!

    3. Boys’ Brigade performance:
    The performance put up by the Boys Brigade to commemorate Boys’ Brigade Day was indeed a very interesting one as this was probably my first time watching a ‘dance’ put up solely by a group of boys. This gave me a feel of the student’s commitment towards their co-curricular activities, and as Mr Wie mentioned that morning, their positive attitude and great passion for these non-academic activities, regardless of how well they perform in class (academically), should be commended.

    The interesting stuff:
    1. House meeting:
    Today was my first time being part of the school’s house meeting where the whole school population was divided into the 4 different houses, gathering the house members together to address certain issues. The enthusiasm from the students was a wonderful sight, similar to what I witnessed earlier in the morning (the performance by the BB), and I could tell that these non-academic activities give students much more opportunities to speak up, lead the group and as a result, are able hone their leadership skills.

    2. ‘There are holes punched in our worksheets!’
    What I really envy about these Pingyians is the fact that their teachers actually hole-punch their worksheets for them! I know this seems a like a minute point to share, but this really shows how much the teachers care for their students, and the efforts they have put in to nurture these young people. I really don’t remember the last time I actually had my worksheets hole-punched for me! I always had to lug a heavy red hole-puncher with me to school to file my worksheets after every lesson….

    Food for Thought:
    1. My whole entry for today revolves around the students’ great interest in non-academic activities. The enthusiasm portrayed in the BB performance, the loud cheers and applause by the Alpine house members when the teacher-in-charge was recalling all their past achievements, and the loud cheerleading session afterwards… As such, I believe that much more can be done in terms of character development and leadership if the school provides more opportunities for these students through various activities and programmes planned out for them and it’s heartening to know that the teachers are trying very hard to introduce more programmes for their students!

    ReplyDelete
  3. 13 January 2010

    Observations:
    1. Staff Meeting
    I sat in for the staff meeting in the morning pertaining professional development for teachers and other updates. I certainly gained new insights during that one hour, and the fact that ‘being a teacher is definitely not an easy job’ was totally drilled into my head. All those efforts put into the development of the school, the development of every individual students and not to forget the development of the teachers themselves, have all been exposed during the meeting as the teachers were made to fill up a detailed document regarding their targets, the workshops they would like to attend to improve in certain areas, etc. and present to the rest of the staff members on the new programmes that the school plans to adopt (e.g. the English programme to help students and teachers improve their English language proficiency).

    2. Breaktimeeee!
    While exploring the school compound with Li Hui, in search for interesting things to use for the sec 1’s mathematics trail, I noticed that quite a number of students actually spend their break time playing basketball and such. Despite the fact that they are not spending their time to do their revision, it’s good to see that they use wisely on sports and other activities that can keep them active and also hone their personal development, talent and skills

    3. The academic race
    The Additional Mathematics lesson in the afternoon was a whole new experience for me as I’ve never really attended one myself! Taking into account that they were Normal Academic students, it’s actually shocking to see that many of them are pretty competitive in terms of grades as it can be inferred that they do care a lot about their studies, and to say that competitiveness is a HUGE step towards self-improvement, the students are able to aim for and later on attain their desired grades (regardless of whether it’s merely to do better than their classmates)

    The interesting stuff:
    1. “Teacher, what if my mother say cannot?” That was the reaction (that I’ll never forget) from one of the students from class 101 when Ms. Teh informed them about the new EL Drama session. It was a really… funny-but-cannot-laugh situation where the teacher had to find an appropriate way to answer the student. I’m quite sure there are more of such instances where teachers are caught in these situations and this is definitely something all teachers have to prepare themselves for. Spontaneity.

    2. Today’s ‘Values for breakfast’ was shared by a student. A girl who narrated a story on ‘you’re never too old to learn’. That was a very relevant topic as there have been countless articles printed in the papers regarding this issue. Personal accounts of elderly people starting university to attain their Master’s degree and whatnots. Even the much respected Lee Kuan Yew addressed this issue in detail years ago when he was still the Prime Minister of Singapore. As such, this was a very interesting story shared by the student, a story with a very important meaning behind it, and I do hope most of the students listening in the hall take this seriously as all these ‘moral of the story’ are really the fundamentals of being a successful individual.

    ReplyDelete
  4. 14 January 2010

    Observations:
    1. Catch-phrases
    Today was pretty much ‘just another school day’ as we observed the same few classes (311, 403 and 101). I realized that as I sat in for quite a number of lessons for each of these classes, I’m starting to be able to pick out the interesting traits the individual math tutors possess which make the class enjoyable. One such example is Ms. Pow’s famous phrase before every class assignment “Later I will GRAB one of your work to go through with the whole class” emphasizing on the word ‘grab’ to grasp the attention of the students.

    2. Optimistic students
    As I observed the math lesson of class 403, I soon came to realize that many of the students, particularly the boys, get very eager to know their grades for class tests and they’ll cheer (or jeer) as Ms Pow screens the paper of every individual students. This strong competitiveness among their friends will thus push them further and stretch their intellectual capacity as they force themselves to do better the next time round (regardless of whether its just to gain a certain higher status in class).

    The Interesting Stuff:
    1. TELEPHONE!
    Though my secondary school also had phones installed in the classroom for intercommunication purposes, noticing it again when the phone rang during Ms Pow’s class made me question the purpose of it (I never knew what it was really for!)

    Food for thought:
    1. The racket created by students along the corridors should be reduced by a great deal as these noise and actions often distract the teachers and students having lessons in the classrooms. Students should be alerted that their every action outside of class restricts the concentration of others who are having classes around that area. As such, this should be taken more seriously so as to enforce a certain code of conduct for students outside of class.

    ReplyDelete
  5. 15 January 2010

    Observations:
    1. Teaching methods
    After one entire week of observing the lessons of different teachers, I noticed that the way teachers conduct a lesson vary a great deal and these methods are all effective in different aspects. The smorgasbord of teaching methods makes it much easier for teachers to educate the different target groups (students). In terms of their intellectual capacity, their attention span, their interest to learn, their background/up-bringing, their personality/character…. All of these have to be taken into account before planning a lesson catering to a specific group of students.

    2. A good deed
    The cheers and applauses from the entire class, 411, when a fellow classmate answered a question correctly during Mr Malek’s math lesson was such a warm and heartening sight that it made me realize the importance of encouragement by the people around us which ultimately serves as a form of motivation for the individual.

    The interesting stuff:
    1. RESPECT, not fear
    “I do not want my students to be scared of me; I want them to respect me.” These wise words that came out of Mr Malek’s mouth probably moved the students a great deal. However, the impact does not come from just this single statement. The respect has to be attained through a long period of time as good teacher-student relationships have to be fostered through mutual understanding, before the students are able to accept the figure standing before them as a respectable teacher, one that they are willing to cooperate with to work towards their goals. Certainly a great learning point for me there! (:

    2. Parking Lots
    This is an interesting method adopted by Mr Malek that not only allows him to understand his students through the feedback written by his students, but also, the students are able to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses simultaneously through this process. As a student myself, sad to say, I’ve always dreaded having to fill up feedback forms, however this approach makes the process more fun and exciting as the students are more or less free to comment on anything and everything about the lesson and the whole commotion about ‘HAHA, I STUCK MINE ON THE AIR-CON’ or ‘DON’T STICK ON THE PARKING LOT SIGN LAH’ adds humour to the entire process and thus making it much more interesting for these students.

    Food for thought:
    1. The introduction to restorative practice and discipline conducted by Mr Ryan Neo was indeed a fruitful one, as I was exposed to this new method of dealing with offences, often practiced by schools in Australia, for the very first time. Since such an approach is deemed as an effective way of dealing with the students and to maintain discipline in the school, more schools in Singapore should adopt this scheme, however not wholesale. It should be altered and tweaked a little to maximize the effectiveness of this practice, depending on how the students react to such a radical approach.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 25 January 2010

    Dear Rimiko,

    A typical neighbourhood school has a whole spectrum of students ie. smart, mischievious, slow, lazy etc.

    It is always a challenge for teachers in such schools to manage and engage these types of students and indeed, every teacher need to be competent in managing any type of students. Teachers here wear many types of hats....and indeed they are truly passionate about teaching and they always have their students welfare at heart.

    You are quite fortunte to be able to really see what a typical secondary school is like and I do hope that this experience will make you understand our education system better.

    Mr Abdul Malek

    ReplyDelete
  7. 18 January 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Mdm Nava’s Sec 1NT (121) Math lesson
    2. Ms Pow’s Sec 4Exp (403) Math Lesson
    3. Ms Pow’s Sec 3NA (311) A Math Lesson
    - Mathematics department meeting

    Highlights / Challenges:
    - Class 121’s mathematics lesson was no doubt another different experience as these academically weak students ranged from kids who are willing to learn and improve, to kids who do not have much interest in terms of education as a whole. Nevertheless, the class was a talkative bunch, which made it rather tough for the teacher to conduct the lesson. The use of tokens, which had a ‘+1’ sign on one side and ‘-1’ on the other, was an attempt to make the lesson much more interactive and thus more enjoyable for the students. However, despite its effectiveness to assist in the students’ understanding for the topic on negative integers, the students seemed too excited after the tokens were distributed out. Small yellow coins were flying across the classroom; distracting noises were created from the tapping of the coins on the desk… and the floor. It probably did not seem like a very conducive environment to conduct a class activity. Although it has always been discussed that class activities, instead of rote-learning, can increase the students’ participation and interest, there is still a downside to such a method. Without the cooperation of the students, without them being able to strictly adhere to the rules and instructions given out to them, such an activity may not be a very productive alternative either.
    (Perhaps it would’ve been better if they were threatened to return to the usual spoon-feeding method if they do not exhibit the ideal behaviour, as a last resort, but of course, it is easier said than done!)

    - The Math department meeting held after school was devoted to the recent release of the O level results. Various strategies that will be used to work towards the targets set for this year were put out for every one of us to hear, understand and then later on, implement. These strategies were drawn from the reflections based on the teaching methodologies and other implementations the previous years, paying more attention to the strengths and weaknesses of their entire scheme rather than putting the blame on the weaker students who have not performed well. However, the fundamentals had to be laid down before implementing any other methods. The ‘Ladder of Interference’ pretty much recapitulated the basic requirement of a teacher. The whole idea of how the teacher’s mentality and attitude towards these students can affect the learning and the lives of these students as a whole. Thus, as a teacher, it is always of utmost importance that the mind is driven towards positive thinking to ensure that the students also become optimistic individuals in the academic and non-academic fields alike.

    Reflections/ Learning Points:
    - “LOVE HOPE FAITH”
    These three most powerful words clearly illustrates the ideal teacher-student relationship that all of us should foster. I believe that no matter how difficult it is, teachers should always try their very best to shower every individual student with as much love and attention as possible. Teachers should also have faith in their students, and the students alike, should have faith in themselves. With all these taken into account, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE HOPE. (: Teachers do play a huge role in the students’ lives. Now, as a ‘teacher’/intern, I frequently remind myself, ‘We are our actions. They define us, AND our students’…

    ReplyDelete
  8. 19 January 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Ms Saw’s Sec 4NT (421) Math lesson
    2. Mrs Toh’s Sec 4Exp (401) Chemistry Lesson
    3. Ms Teh’s Sec 1Exp (101) Math Lesson
    - Assembly
    - Staff contact time

    Highlights/Challenges:
    - What absolutely shocked me today was class 421’s mathematics lesson. They were absolute angels. Their behaviour was WAY above my expectation. Yes, sadly, my first impression of an ordinary normal tech class would be one that’s really noisy and disruptive in class. However, this was not the case! The students were quiet and extremely attentive in class (well, most?). They participated actively and were always willing to stand before the class to present their solutions for a math problem. They were pretty shy and reluctant at first, but after much encouragement from the teacher, ‘don’t be scared’, ‘don’t worry’, ‘it’s alright if you make a mistake, you can learn from there’, etc., they were narrating their answers with a confident smile etched on each of their faces. A class usually has several types of students. This class in particular, had a boy, who did not seem like he was paying much attention in class, with his head drooping downwards, occasionally dozing off, BUT when asked a question, he could answer it in a jiffy, and to my surprise his replies were very clear, and completely flawless. As the saying goes, ‘Do not judge a book by its cover’. From then, I was certain that teachers can never ever judge a student from their behaviour in class. The most notorious or the one who’s constantly dozing off in class, may turn out to be the most intelligent one! Thus it is always a challenge to find time to observe and understand each and every student in class, to identify their strengths and weaknesses, their capabilities and talents, accept them for who they are, respect them, befriend them, teach them, assist them, support them, discipline them, and the list goes on… To accept them is one thing, to CHANGE them is another. Well, no one said that a teacher’s duty was just to teach! A teacher isn’t just an educator. A teacher plays the role of an educator, a counselor, a close friend, you name it. And THAT’S the biggest challenge a teacher has to face, which is to fulfill all these roles ‘assigned’ to them.

    - Class 401’s chemistry lesson was also another new experience. The teacher was a middle aged, demure lady who is ever so friendly and seemed more like a motherly figure than just a teacher. Despite her gentle nature, the students did not take advantage of it. They were not at all disruptive and were attentive throughout. (Well, if you were wondering why I’m saying this…. Through my personal observation in secondary school, ‘bullying’ a perfectly nice and gentle teacher was always the case. Students would always find ways and means to push the limits. Not doing homework, making noise in class, was everything they would do when they came across a gentle teacher that would probably not raise her voice or lose her temper in class) Even when they were given a pop quiz, the room was filled with ‘HUHHHH…’, ‘cher, cannot lahhh…’, ‘next week can?’, at the start, but after settling down, they were completing the paper diligently within the given time. It’s not always about the teacher, her personality, her methods of teaching, but also about the students, how much they are willing to learn and their strong desire to excel in their examinations. Well, it is important that a teacher is able to conduct a lesson that engages the students, but the attitudes of the students come first. It may be a challenge to get students to be more interested in learning, more driven into the whole education system, thirsty for knowledge, but all is worth if the students are able to achieve their goals, or perhaps, attain even more than what was expected of them.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Reflections/Learning Points:
    - “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”
    In this fast-paced society, more doors are starting to open up for people of all ages. More choices, more opportunities, are made available to the masses. No doubt, there’ll be faster routes or alternatives, unfortunately no shortcuts. It takes a great deal of time and effort to achieve goals and fulfill dreams, regardless of whether one takes the shorter or longer route. Nothing is free, everything has a price tag attached to it, and there’ll always be a price to pay. Positive attitude is a requirement; the thirst for knowledge is a necessity. Students need to put in their hundred and one percent to work towards their goals and the teachers will have to be there to guide and support them throughout their journey. Even if some of the students seem like they have no interest in learning at all, constantly creating trouble, they still do not deserve to be given up on, or even labeled as ‘trash’. People change. If not on their own, they need help from others, their loved ones, and the people around them, friends, acquaintances or even strangers. It may be extremely difficult to change an individual for the better, BUT, it is never an impossible task. Thus, I learnt that, to be a good teacher, it is not just the brains, it really boils down to the strong will to change the students, the amount of effort you are willing to put in, the amount of time you are willing to sacrifice for the benefit of young individuals. Then again, it is critical that the students know how much the teachers are willing to sacrifice for them, not to make them feel guilty of any sort but for them to start showing their utmost gratitude towards these admirable figures by displaying that they, too, care and are willing to work hard towards a brighter future.

    ReplyDelete
  10. 20 January 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Staff Meeting on Professional Learning Community (PLC)
    - A short meeting with Mdm Shanti, our Principal
    - Classroom observations
    1. Mdm Anisa’s Sec 2Exp (201) Math lesson
    2. Ms Pow’s Sec 3NA (311) Math Lesson
    3. Ms Teh’s Sec 1Exp (101) Math Lesson

    Highlights/Challenges:
    - Through these one and a half weeks of observations, I’ve come across many methods of disciplining a student. Be it punishments, counseling, warnings, or merely raising of voices. However, the scene I observed this morning was something different, something new, something that really caught my attention, something that I’ll definitely remember and share. It was during morning assembly, when all the students had to assemble in the hall and sit according to their classes. A secondary 3 student (I think) was loitering around the back of the hall when a teacher came up to him and asked for him to join his class. The student was reluctant and refused to listen. However, instead of raising his voice, the teacher smiled and said, ‘We love you Adrian, so please go back and join the class because we would really like to have you around,’ then used his arms to direct the student back to his class. Flabbergasted, and simply amazed at how the student was dealt with, I just stood there, trying to think of other unusual means to deal with a student in any situation.

    - Today was our (the interns) first official meeting with the Principal. Mdm Shanti personally welcomed us to the Pingyi family, and shared with us everything and anything about the school, even her personal experiences as a teacher and then a principal in the recent years. She also familiarized us with the school’s values, objectives, policies and whatnots, all which are essential to our experience in this school. In addition to that warm welcome and detailed introductory session, she named a few teachers and recommended that we observe their lessons to make our experience more fruitful and fulfilling. It was really heartening to know that the principal knows a lot (and I really mean a lot) about her fellow teachers, considering the fact that she already has so much to do. To add on, she asked us to come up with some ideas for improvement and perhaps suggest some new initiatives that the school can embark on for the betterment of her students and teachers. It was certainly a very valuable session, as the knowledge imparted to us for a better understanding of the environment we’re working in, really made us feel welcomed, a part of the family.

    - Class 201’s math lesson was a joy to observe as it was executed in a very creative manner. ‘It is CIRCLE TIME!’ The students were made to shift their desks to the very corners of the room so as to make space for them all to sit in a huge circle. It was surprising to see how fast the students moved as they pushed their desks aside and arranged their chairs. The teacher stood in the middle of the circle with a stuffed pouch in her hand. She would ask questions about their view on PAL test they sat for, the key things they learnt during the previous lesson, the few things they know of the new topic she was going to cover, and then she’d throw the pouch. The student holding the pouch next would have to answer the question. The replies were usually short and vague as the students were not confident enough to open up and elaborate on how they feel and what they know, but after a few more rounds, they were all warmed up and were able to speak more confidently. As such, this little activity is certainly a good way to brush up their communication skills, however results can only be observed in the long run as stronger relationships would be built, allowing these students to slowly open up to their classmates.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Reflections/Learning Points:
    - “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly , without fear, for newer and richer experiences”
    After the heart to heart dialogue with the principal, hearing about her enriching experience as a teacher, and the random conversations with other teachers during lunch and other free time, I started to become extremely motivated to take this internship to a whole new level. Well, having many friends still in the primary and secondary levels, it was rather frightening at first, considering the fact that I was no longer a fellow schoolmate but a teacher to these kids just a few years younger than I am. As a new intern in a whole new environment, it was pretty difficult to adapt and open up at first. However, after a few staff and department meetings, I was able to get used to conversing with the fellow teachers, even more so after today’s session with the principal, I was a lot less overwhelmed by the new surroundings(it’s a lot like the whole circle time process!). Being offered this teaching internship was a great opportunity as it gave me the chance to experience teaching first-hand before deciding on the path I would like to take. Thus to cherish every moment of this 7 weeks I have left in this school, I should be hungry for newer experiences, instead of just sitting in the little cubicle, afraid to ask for more...

    ReplyDelete
  12. 22 January 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Ms Pow’s Sec3NA (311) Math Lesson
    2. Mr Neo’s Sec4NA (414) Math Lesson

    Highlights/Challenges:
    - The highlight for today was the lesson observation in class 414, an extremely tough class to teach. The class could be divided into 4 different groups, the diligent students from china, the notorious Chinese boys, the clique of girls and the Indian/Malay boys. Besides the students from China, the rest of them had the same problem. An extremely short attention span and, you guessed it, a huge obsession with their physical appearance. While the teacher was busy trying to get them to understand the topic on rate, using real life examples such as utilities bill, of which most of them can easily relate to, the students showed much interest in it at first but were slowly distracted by other things. Some drifted off to their own conversations, some were busy styling their hair, and the girls, shockingly, were taking out their makeup set, putting on foundation on their faces. After the class was over, we posed Mr Neo a simple question. ‘The students were obviously not paying much attention in class, but why didn’t you do anything about it?’ I mean, he, being the discipline master of the school and all, we expected him to be strict, however that was not the case. Well, it CANNOT be the case, as it probably would not have worked either. He elaborated on how it would be an idealistic approach to enforce a strict discipline in class as even if there were to be no distractions, he would not be able to tell if they were actually gaining anything from the lesson. As such, tolerance is the key. Leaving them as it is, allowing them to carry on with their own activities (there’s a certain limit to that of course), was the only solution, as despite their lack of focus, at least they aren’t fast asleep!

    Reflections/Learning Points:
    - “Good manners will often take people where neither money nor education will take them”
    After listening to Mdm Anisa’s “you are wise enough to know whether or not what you are doing is right or wrong”-warning to the students on shoplifting and other minor crimes such as not tapping their EZ link cards when boarding the bus, etc., it soon hit me that in these schools, where there are many students who are not academically-inclined, imparting certain life skills and essential values are of utmost importance. Knowledge may be very much required in every field in society; however moral values are necessities to actually live in this society. Well in other words, moral education and character development are the very fundamentals in the path to success, regardless of whether one has already attained a high level of education or has all the money in the world. As such, it was very moving to know that the teachers are also trying their very best to impart these essential values to the students. It is to my understanding that many of the students have certain family issues, and their parents are unable to educate them and teach them the basic life skills. Thus it is important that the teachers fulfill this requirement, to help these students and concentrate on what they are lacking.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Rimiko,

    Thank you for sharing your thoughts...enjoyed reading them. It helps me understand my teachers and my students even more. There is no one fool-proof approach when dealing with teenagers and we definitely need lots of tricks in our bags. As you have so rightfully observed, my teachers are quite well-equipped and care alot for their charges. Learn from them and try your hand at teaching too - nothing beats taking it on ourselves...Shanti

    ReplyDelete
  14. 25 January 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Ms Goh’s Sec 5 (512) Math lesson
    2. Ms Teh’s Sec 1Exp (101) Math Lesson
    - Mathematics department meeting

    Highlights / Challenges:
    - Today was my first time observing a secondary 5 class and all I can conclude from this experience is that every class can be full of surprises, completely unpredictable. As compared to the secondary 4 normal academic classes, class 512 consisted of well-mannered students who were paying full attention to the lesson, eager to master the topic that was being taught. It was obvious that there was this sense of urgency, as they were going to sit for their final examination later this year (a stark contrast from the 4NA students). At the end of the lesson, the teacher conducting the lesson was ever so willing to share with us her rationale behind her teaching strategies (like a debrief of some sort) and her experiences as a teacher, and the earlier path of her career. Through these personal experiences and views shared by her, we (Li Hui and I) are now more informed of what we can expect from teaching, as a career, and it pretty much inspired us to go deeper into understanding the students, to try to relate to and then impart the knowledge to them more effectively.

    - The second Math department meeting for the year was dedicated to the Secondary one mathematics trail of which was a project assigned to us (Li Hui and I). As such, we took this opportunity to brief the math teachers on the entire activity, all the way down to the nitty-gritty details like the very questions we have set aside for the students. From there, loop holes were corrected, the complicated were simplified and insightful feedbacks were put in as we revised through every question. Clearly, we had zero experience when it came to understanding the Secondary One students and were clueless in terms of gauging their aptitude. This is a problem all teachers face. Definitions and concepts may seem straight forward and relatively simple to understand for one, however, much has to be altered to cater to the mass, to ensure that every one of them can grasp it well. Thus, we will have to put ourselves in their shoes and think the way they do, to obtain a full view of what they are or they are not capable of doing.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Reflections/ Learning Points:
    - “We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, while others are bright. Some, even, have weird names. BUT they all live together in the same box”
    I believe it is a common thread to stereotype the students from their respective streams and classes. Well, I’ve got to admit; I USED to be guilty of that too, until I sat in for the different classes, ranging from secondary 1 to secondary 5 classes, from the express to normal technical streams. The students’ behaviour and attitudes towards learning differ across the levels, even in a single class; the streams merely measure how well they fared for their previous examinations and do not take into account the behavioural aspects.
    As mentioned in my previous post, there are many different types of students in one class alone. The boisterous boys, the chatty girls (some are really loud and violent while others are just talkative and giggly), the quiet ones, the geeky ones, the outcasts and the sleepy few. However, the way they present themselves in public do not necessarily determine their intellectual capabilities, talents or skills. Express and normal stream students, alike, can be categorized in the similar manner, but needless to say, the ones from the normal streams are less academically inclined. As such, every student has to be closely monitored and understood in depth so that the teachers are able to cater to their needs and deliver their lesson in such a way that it reaches out to the masses.
    In terms of the visible cliques in class, this is when social and emotional development come into the picture. These individuals need to be ‘sharpened’ to be able to ‘fit into the same box’, so as to prevent any internal conflicts in class and to reduce any prejudice and discrimination against certain groups of students, be it racial, gender, intellectual, etc. Not only does it counter the issue pertaining to the emotional well-being of the students, it also helps to prepare these youths as they enter the working society in their later years. (What can we do to address this issue? Now, that’s something I’ll have to research on! )

    ReplyDelete
  16. 26 January 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Ms Teh’s Sec 1Exp (101) Math Lesson
    - Assembly in the respective homerooms (101)

    Highlights/Challenges:
    - Assembly in 101’s homeroom was an interesting experience as I was able to study the behaviour of these students beyond their math lessons, of which I always sat in for. Indeed, their personalities started showing as they were able to share their thoughts and opinions freely regarding the class-initiated community involvement project proposal. Many of them started ‘ganging up’ to support their ‘best’ ideas of which they shared with the class, with pride. From ideas such as helping the poor living in one-room flats to setting up a stall to raise funds, they were far from a common agreement. It was really nice to see all of them contributing very enthusiastically and despite having their own ideas, they, too, were very supportive of their friends’ ideas. The sharing session was conducted in a big circle, very much like ‘circle time’. Every student was in view, such that each and every one of them could deliver their thoughts and ideas with more clarity. Despite the LONG list of ideas (some feasible, others were…), the creative input of these twelve-year-olds was definitely a joy to listen to!

    Reflections/Learning Points:
    - “You think you know, but you have no idea…”
    Day by day, as I observed class 101, I could slowly see the many sides to them, the quiet and disciplined side, the playful and boisterous side, the defiant side, the gentle and caring side, etc. It takes time and effort to truly understand them, while it is almost impossible to fully understand them. After every lesson observation, I learn something new about the class, or perhaps a certain individual. However, in hindsight, those observations were merely passing judgments, a perception. Well, I would not be able to judge them much from behind, and the only way would be when I actually stand before them to teach, to really connect and communicate with them. (Thank you Mdm Shanti for sharing this point with me earlier on) Only then, I would be able to understand them much more.

    ReplyDelete
  17. 27 January 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Staff Meeting on Professional Learning Community (PLC) – Weight management
    - Classroom observations
    1. Mr Chiu’s Sec 4Exp (401/2/3) Geography lesson
    2. Ms Pow’s Sec 3NA (311) Math Lesson

    Highlights/Challenges:
    - It was a great opportunity to be able to be part of the Weight Management group (PLC). The discussion was informative and it really exposed me to the other side of school life. The non-academic aspect, particularly, the physical fitness of these students. Only then did I realize that the teenage obesity rate is increasing at an alarming rate (not that I don’t already know, but it’s become such a serious issue, it NEEDS to be attended to)! Moreover, it was really an eye-opener to hear the teachers’ personal views on this issue and their determination to help these students with their weight problems.

    - The issue of changing out of the PE attire before the next lesson has always been a huge problem, not only in this school, but in all schools. Class 403 in particular, had a few boys seated in the classroom, still dressed in their Blue dry-fits and Black shorts, even when their Geography lesson was ongoing. However, instead of reprimanding these few students, the teacher used a different tactic. Humour. “You guys better change into your school uniform before the clock strikes twelve. IF NOT ALL OF YOU WILL TURN INTO PUMPKINS!” and indeed, right before the bell rang at 12noon, the boys were rushing to the toilet to change.

    - Another interesting ‘rule’ was “we drink water when the bell rings”. It was a totally new approach to maintaining discipline in the class, by creating a certain routine which these students have to abide by, starting from the simplest thing like drinking water and changing out of their PE attires before a given time.

    Reflections/Learning Points:
    - “Humour’s one of the best ways to reach out to people”
    Today I learnt that forceful remarks and punishments may not be the solution to class discipline. Instead, humour could be injected into these practices to make them more interesting, such that students are willing to abide by them. Well, it doesn’t work all the time, but once in a while, to make the mundane more fun and exciting, it should be expressed in an unusual manner so as to grab the attention of the students, and such funny remarks may be something they would want to remember, perhaps even for a lifetime.

    ReplyDelete
  18. 28 January 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Ms Pow’s Sec3NA (311) Math Lesson
    2. Mr Chiu’s Sec1NT (121) Social Studies Lesson

    Highlights/Challenges:
    - The main highlight for today was class 121’s social studies lesson. It was really a great challenge for the teacher to actually deliver his lesson as there were countless distractions in the class, with some of them speaking very loudly across the room and others making passing comments which were not related to the lesson. Despite these huge ‘obstacles’, he still tolerated with them and tried his best to carry on with his lesson as per normal. Such an admirable teacher deserves to be applauded! In addition to that, as they took turns to read the contents of their textbooks, I noticed that many of them had difficulties reading aloud. Not because they were too shy to narrate it to the class but because the majority of them were not proficient in English. Putting this aside, many of them showed no particular interest in the topic and were too caught up with their own conversations. Well, since it is not an examinable topic, it is understandable as to why they showed no particular interest in the subject, thus many of them (maybe, ALL) do not see the need to take it seriously. Without these students’ interest, it would be ALMOST impossible (but still possible to a certain extent) to reach out and impart the require knowledge to them. As such, the only solution to this issue is to introduce more group-based activities, to keep them occupied and make them slightly more interested in the lesson, but that itself may be a difficult task (with reference to their math lesson with Mdm Nava last week).

    Reflections/Learning Points:
    - “Everyone deserves to be the most important person in somebody’s life”
    The class’ biggest troublemakers have their reasons for their unacceptable behaviour. The school consists of students from different family backgrounds, who are being brought up differently, and it is unfortunate that quite a number of them come from troubled families, broken families, etc. As such, they lack the love and attention every child needs. In class 121 for example, I’ve been informed that those who are constantly creating trouble in class, clearly seeking the desired attention during the lesson, come from broken families where they do not receive sufficient love and attention from their parents, siblings and even their relatives. Therefore, they feel the need to find other means to make people notice them, to feel important and special in any way possible and the only other alternative (other than in public) would have to be in school, where they have many schoolmates and teachers they can seek attention from. Very often, these students find that the easiest way to attract attention is to do something distracting, something against the rule, such that they get noticed by their peers and the teacher will have to deal with them. Regardless of whether it’s just a warning or a punishment, they look forward to the attention they will receive just by breaking a rule or creating a nuisance. With all these taken into account, I believe it is very important for teachers to show that they care, that every student means a lot to them, so that those few students can feel loved and appreciated. As mentioned last week, a teacher isn’t just an educator; a teacher is a companion, a best friend.

    ReplyDelete
  19. 29 January 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Ms Pow’s Sec3NA (311) Math Lesson
    - Co-curricular activity – Girl Guides


    Highlights/Challenges:
    - Today was the first CCA session I participated in. I used to be a Girl Guide myself, for two years, when I was still in secondary school, thus being part of it again was a very nostalgic experience. Also, the fact that I was refreshed of the knowledge I once gained, but have forgotten over the years, have brought back much memories of when I was a fellow Guide. Skills such as knot-tying, memorizing the Guide’s Law, followed by the 10 rules the guides have to abide by, were definitely not new experiences but more of a flashback, a sweet reminiscence.

    - After exploring the different areas in the school campus where the various CCAs were being carried out, we had a rough idea of how they were carried out. Well, it is not that we have not experienced it ourselves, as a student, but I believe there is certain uniqueness in every school, and of course, some similar traits can be observed too. From the various uniform groups, we could identify some of the students from the classes we have observed the past few weeks and it was shocking to see all of them behaving so differently! One such example was a boy from 311. In the context of the classroom, he was always depending on his friend when it came to the topics he was not sure of, never eager to take the initiative to ask the teacher, or to even challenge himself by trying the questions on his own. On the other hand, when observing him fully decked in his NPCC physical training attire, he had a whole new personality, one of a leader. He ran around trying his very best to help his new secondary one juniors, from guiding them when they looked lost to even helping them lace their shoes (after a game which required them to take their shoelaces out)! It was really heartening to see such leadership qualities exhibited by this quiet and shy boy I once observed in the classroom.

    - Another observation was the attitudes of the ‘naughty ones’. During the session with the Girl Guides and the NCDCC, whereby the Guides had to teach the NCDCC cadets how to tie various knots in preparation for Total Defence Day, I was able to see their enthusiasm and strong determination to learn from their peers. A particular student from 112 was a textbook illustration of this statement. In the classroom, he was always chatting away, never attentive during class and seldom completed his homework. However, when it came to learning how to tie knots, he was ever so determined to master that skill and was very attentive, willing to learn from anyone who offered to help. This scenario corroborates my view on the effectiveness of hands-on activities in class. Seeing the students having positive attitudes when learning hands-on skills like knot-tying (as compared to their attitudes in the classroom), I was certain that if similar activities were to be incorporated into the classroom, it would make learning so much more engaging, and a lot more interactive.

    Reflections/Learning Points:
    -“Dear self, today you will SHINE”
    A self-explanatory statement and I believe will be on most of the students’ minds when it comes to their co-curricular activities. The question is, would it ever be possible to make the curriculum as engaging as the CCAs?

    ReplyDelete
  20. 1 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Ms Tan’s Sec 5 (511) POA lesson
    2. Ms Teh’s Sec 1Exp (101) Math Lesson

    Highlights / Challenges:
    - The subject, Principle of Accounts, was entirely new to me, making the lesson observation much more fruitful. Not only did I observe the students and the teacher’s teaching methods, I also had the chance to know a little more about accounting! The lesson was rather interesting in the way it was carried out. The class was divided into groups of 4 to work on specific questions (their homework assignment) and then every group was made to present the question assigned to them, on ‘mahjong paper’. The lesson was made productive yet engaging at the same time, allowing students to discuss with their fellow classmates and were given the chance to teach and learn from their friends simultaneously. Then again, there is always this issue of ‘distracting students’ whereby they do not contribute anything useful to the group and start drifting off to other irrelevant topics. That’s a huge challenge teachers have to face, the need to ensure that every single student is participating, and to make sure all of them are contributing relevant information during the discussions.

    Reflections/ Learning Points:
    - “It’s not all about the brains, but how you disseminate the knowledge.”
    Having the adequate knowledge in a particular field is a requirement for every teacher, however what determines a good teacher is one that is able to disseminate his/her knowledge to the students. Engagement is one thing, learning is another. With a class filled with students of different capabilities, it is very important that every student is able to be immersed in the entire classroom environment, eager to learn from the figure standing before them. From my personal experiences as a student, I believe that the first step into education is to be fully engaged with the lesson. It did not matter whether that particular subject was of interest to me, but more of how the teacher was able to interact with the whole class, and whether the lesson was engaging enough. As I started looking forward to my lessons, I became more involved in the class activities, and was completing all my homework assignments with a positive attitude. Slowly, I saw improvement in my grades, and thus became more interested in the subject, and perhaps learning as a whole. Now as an intern, I would focus more on the likeability factor, to engage with the students, be it in class or outside of curriculum, and aim to foster a closer relationship before expecting much participation from them in class.

    ReplyDelete
  21. 2 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Ms Teh’s Sec 1NA (112) Math Lesson
    2. Mr Chiu’s Sec 3NT (322) EBS Lesson
    3. Ms Teh’s Sec 1Exp (101) Math Lesson
    - Assembly in the respective homerooms (101)
    - Staff Contact Time
    - Staff bonding session – Lantern Making

    Highlights/Challenges/Reflections/Learning points:
    - “ALAMAK, tomorrow PAL ah, today must go home read” All these coming from the normal academic students really made me comprehend the effectiveness of the PAL test first hand. From the discussion session with the Principal, it is to my knowing that the PAL test was implemented to ensure regular revision and higher attendance count. (and also to reduce late-coming on Wednesdays) Thus, as I overheard this particular conversation between the two most notorious boys in class, I was more assured of what can be expected from the many implementations made by the school (good yields of course).

    - Elements of Business Skills, EBS, was a subject that was entirely new to me. The contents being taught in this subject are vital information for these normal technical students as they would be able to bring it with them and make full use of it as they enter the working society. Through my observations, as I walked around to assist the students, the students were rather active as a whole (maybe too active), and most of them were completely distracted by the computers placed right before them. I believe that these students require closer monitoring and should be given much more attention, such that they would be more engaged in the lesson. Moreover, I realized that many of them were not interested in completing the worksheet handed out to them, until I started walking around offering my help. Then, slowly, they began to raise their hands, ‘admitting’ that they did not understand that particular topic. After a step-by-step guidance, they finally got the hang of it, and were able to complete the rest on their own. (I really hope they can still keep that knowledge in their heads for tomorrow’s PAL test!)

    - Assembly for today was with 101 in their homeroom. Since the class was assigned the task of making the cardboard backings for the Chinese New Year hampers, every student was made to bring cardboard boxes from their homes to create A3 sized boards. Through this activity, the enthusiastic participation of the students made me familiarize with them much more, as I too, worked alongside them, doing the little duties like picking up their pieces of unwanted cardboards, running out of class with them to look for the recycling bins, etc. From there, when they saw me doing the same tasks they were asked to do, I could tell that the students were slowly opening up to me, asking me various questions, and also telling me more about themselves. “Practice what you preach”, that is what many students have on their minds when they have been ordered to do something, and for a teacher to give a task and simultaneously work with them, and to help them in the process, it really enables the teacher to gain more respect and trust from his/her students. This will always be my top priority if I continue teaching as a career, and that is to earn the respect and trust from each and every student around me, regardless of how long it might take me to do so.

    ReplyDelete
  22. 4 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Mr Chiu’s Sec 1NT (121) Social Studies Lesson
    2. Ms Esther Tan’s Sec 1NA (113) English Lesson

    Highlights/Challenges:
    - My weekly session with 121 was very productive. Li Hui and I experimented with a new strategy by PLANTING ourselves right next to the two biggest chatterboxes in class. It was a very effective method as they started to pay more attention to the lesson and were able to complete the worksheet handed out to them within the given time. From this experimentation with the normal technical students, it made it clearer that they need much more attention than the express and normal academic students, such that they have to be attended to more frequently, be it for academic purposes or to discuss about their personal issues.

    - It was a good experience helping out with Esther’s English lesson. Her plan for today was a game which required the students to run and simultaneously work on their vocabulary skills. The students were really cooperative, with all of them participating very enthusiastically, however, there were a few of them who were busy seeking attention, doing everything they can to steer themselves away from the instructions given. It was a pretty difficult task to get this bunch of students behave and follow instructions as they seem like they have found joy in going against what they are supposed to conform to and were able to get the attention of the teacher. All in all, the activity was a huge success, with each and every student running to and fro to the mahjong paper placed about 8meters away, then bending down to scribble an adjective to describe ‘my best friend’. There were many interesting words written, such as, ‘eco-friendly’ and ‘weapon of mass destruction’. Even though many of these words were used wrongly, it was really hilarious to see what sort of words the students can think of on the spot, and to know that they are really capable of thinking out-of-the-box instead of just writing down the usual ‘nice’, ‘friendly’ and ‘helpful’. I believe these activities not only make the classroom experience a fun and enjoyable one, they also allow students to think more creatively, to open up their minds without having to worry whether they have made a mistake.

    Reflections/Learning Points:
    - “TEACHER TEACHER! Do you have a BABY?”
    That simple question brought up by a student from 113, with such enthusiasm, made all of us laugh hysterically, and that poor boy had no idea why we were even laughing at his question. (Well, we’re not even university students to start with!) The innocence of these Secondary One children made me look back at the days I used to be one myself. The times when we were not at all afraid of judgments, and were able to lead a carefree life without the need to worry about whether or not our words and actions were sensible. Year after year, as we get older, we get more conscious of what we say or do, and that is what makes us less expressive, unconsciously creating this invisible barrier between ourselves and the people around us. Thus, to get to mix with these young innocent individuals yet again, and to watch or hear the silly things the do or say, all these have really made my experience as a teaching intern (so far) a really enjoyable and entertaining one!

    ReplyDelete
  23. 5 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Ms Teh’s Sec 1Exp (101) ICT Lesson
    2. Ms Teh’s Sec 1NA (112) Math Lesson
    - Co-curricular activity – Girl Guides


    Highlights/Challenges:
    - I remember ICT lessons being one of my favourite lessons, not because I could gain new IT skills, but more because I was able to use the internet (in those days, I did not have internet at home!). Also, the fun and excitement came from having the need to look out for the teacher, to be able to close the window before the teacher walked by. As I walked around the class today, I noticed the many eyes observing me on the other aisle. At once, I knew, they were doing something sneaky. However, before I could walk to the other side to see what they were up to, Ms. Teh had already caught them playing games and warned them to stay away from these sites and concentrate on the lesson. Later on, when I walked pass them; they were enjoying themselves, spinning interesting stories on Windows Movie Maker, instead of playing games. They were using their favourite online games and adapted parts of certain movies to create the skeleton of their stories. Sharing the hilarious stories they have written, all of us had a good laugh. At the same time, they have learnt how to use the various effects to create a video using that programme. Interest is the key to everything. To be able to link the lesson to the ‘likes’ of the students, be it interests, hobbies, etc., it makes it easier for the teacher to get them to participate willingly. Furthermore, it would certainly be a joy (for the teacher) to see all of them having fun, eager to participate in the lesson being conducted!

    ReplyDelete
  24. 8 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Ms Pow’s Sec 4Exp (403) Math lesson
    2. Ms Teh’s Sec 1Exp (101) Math Lesson
    - Mathematics department meeting

    Highlights / Challenges:
    - Today, 101 was commended on their good behaviour just before class. I could see the delighted and proud expressions on the students’ faces as the teacher praised them for being so well-behaved. Hopefully after this, they would continue this good behaviour when there is no teacher in class in the future! I believe teachers should praise students for every little thing they do, as a form of encouragement and motivation. As students realize that the good deeds they practice have been noticed and commended on by their teachers, and perhaps their fellow peers, it might spur them, and the students around them to behave themselves, perform well in school and do things worth the praise.

    - Department meeting today was concentrated on the Secondary One math trail Li Hui and I have been working on the past two weeks, how it would be carried out and what further actions we have to embark on to make it a success. The Secondary One teachers were briefed on the activity while we planned on the nitty gritty details such as the assignment of station masters from each class to take charge of the event and the prizes which will be awarded to the winning groups. After all have been settled, the time was dedicated to the Secondary One math tutors to share and discuss certain issues regarding their math lessons so far. This small discussion was a fruitful one as Li Hui and I were able to hear and learn more about the problems these teachers face in class and perhaps what they themselves, as teachers, gain from every lesson they conduct.

    Reflections/ Learning Points:
    - “Who dares to teach must never cease to learn”
    From today’s sharing session during the Mathematics Department Meeting, I came to a consensus that teachers too gain a lot from every lesson they conduct. Be it a new understanding, perhaps on student behaviour or student learning, a better gauge of how effective their lessons are, or even a realization of better teaching methods, etc. Everyday, teachers and students alike, gain new experiences, and furthermore face new challenges, which enables all of us to learn something new each day. Therefore, I strongly believe that a school is not only a place for the students to learn, it is actually a learning heaven for each and every individual who steps into the campus.

    ReplyDelete
  25. 9 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Ms Teh’s Sec 1NA (112) Math Lesson
    2. Ms Teh’s Sec 1Exp (101) Math Lesson
    - Assembly in the hall for lower secondary classes

    Highlights/Challenges:
    - Teacher: Should I return all of you your test papers or go through your homework first?
    Students: Homework first! Homework important… Very important…

    The replies from these students made me wonder, was it the fact that they were afraid of getting their test results back? Or was it the fact that they were so very eager to go through their homework assignment, to check if they have made any mistakes and learn from them? I would like to think the latter, but to my disappointment…… Many of them had blank pieces of paper placed before them, waiting to be filled with the answers given to them by the teacher (even those who said ‘homework important…’)

    As the class was starting to get really restless halfway through their 3-period math lesson, the teacher gave them about three minutes to stand up and do their own stretching, to freshen up a little before starting the second half of the lesson. Students started to stand up on their chairs to reach the ceiling, some even got down to the floor to do pushups. It was hilarious. The extent to which they would go to just to win the attention of their peers and the teacher left me speechless. These students had no limits to their actions and were enjoying themselves within that short period of time (Well, I was enjoying myself too, they were just too entertaining.)

    After the short stretching session, the teacher decided to change the seating arrangement to reduce the noise level. She split a few of the noisy ones and matched the ones who are weaker in math with those who have been consistently performing well for tests. I expected a reluctant “HUHHHH…..” from them, but they were all very optimistic about it! As the student walked to his new seat, his reaction to his new ‘partner’ was a bubbly “HI!” and a friendly handshake (they clicked really quickly). It was a joy to see the class so bonded together to the extent that they were open to new changes, and did not mind the new seating arrangement!


    Reflections/Learning Points:
    - “It is easy to make a buck, it is tougher to make a difference”
    This morning, Li Hui and I were informed that our mischievous ‘Best Friend’ got himself into big trouble for using vulgarities on his teachers. Our dear secondary one student, who caught my attention the very first time I walked in to observe his class in week 2, was definitely a handful. From family problems to problems which he had carried along with him from primary school, these have made him a little more attention-seeking and rebellious at times. Just before flag-raising, as we caught him running pass us to join his class, Li Hui called out to him and offered to hear him out after school that day. ‘NO! EH WHY LEH, I DON’T WANT LAH!’ were the exact words that came out from his mouth as he ran off to where he should be standing. I was taken aback by his loud reply but I confidently told myself “He WILL change. We will definitely help him change for the better.” This student might seem really difficult to deal with, however all it takes is a little bit more time compared to the rest till he opens up. True enough, during assembly that afternoon, as all the lower secondary students gathered in the hall once again for an interesting session with an external group ‘Sketch’, a boy ran up to me telling me that his friend really wants to see us, to talk to us. I looked up and saw our little troublemaker staring in my direction... I smiled.

    ReplyDelete
  26. 10 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Staff Meeting on Action Research
    - Classroom observations
    1. Sec 3NT (321/322) Elective workshops

    Highlights/Challenges:
    - The lecture on Action Research in the morning made me learn a new process of teaching. To plan, conduct, reflect and improve. That is the main gist of it. Simple as it may sound, the detailed information made me realize how important and effective it is to ‘follow through’, which is basically to reflect on the lesson conducted and to see if it can be improved further for greater yields.

    - The secondary three normal technical stream’s electives were definitely interesting lessons to observe. With choices such as hairdressing, cooking and hospitality offered to them, the classrooms (and kitchen) were filled with tons of laughter and joy.

    As I settled myself in the hairdressing class, after being introduced to all three electives by Mr. Glynne Chiu, I recognized a few familiar faces, the EBS students from 322. I was then overwhelmed by their ‘greetings’. “HI CHER!”, “CHER! What you doing here?”, “You want me to cut your hair?” They were all participating very enthusiastically, fighting for the hair gel, shouting for help from the external trainer, inviting me over to their mannequins to take a photo for them, etc. It was a totally different experience as compared to what I have observed in their other class, which was of course, an academic subject. Such electives allow students to learn other skills, knowledge they can take home from school besides homework and information from the textbooks. Not only that, it was clear that they were having so much more fun doing these practical experiments, without the need to be restricted to just their tables and chairs. Even when it came to clearing up the mess before leaving the classroom, they were more than willing to offer their assistance to rearrange the desks and sweep the hair-filled floor.

    That is what I love about such extra-curricular activities. The enthusiasm of every child, the smiles etched on their faces, the laughter that fills the classroom, while at the same time, the teacher is assured that they gain something from the sessions; it is no doubt an effective way to usher in a positive learning experience to these academically-inclined students.

    Reflections/Learning Points:
    - “I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework”
    A single sentence says it all.

    ReplyDelete
  27. 11 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Mr Chiu’s Sec 1NT (121) Social Studies Lesson
    2. Ms Teh’s Sec 1Exp (101) Math Lesson
    - My very 1st math lesson with 101
    - Secondary 1 Mathematics Trail for the station masters

    Highlights/Challenges/Reflections/Learning Points:
    - The main highlight for today was the very first lesson I have ever conducted. With much fear that I might not be able to deliver my lesson well, my heart was beating so quickly, it felt like as if it would drop out from my mouth any moment. However, once I was up there, facing all the THIRTY young and bright faces, I became surprisingly calm. My lesson did not turn out a flop (Yay!). Well, it was not all that good either. My voice projection only went ‘that’ far, which made it relatively harder to listen from the back of the classroom. Thus, as reviewed by my buddy teacher, a few at the back were ‘easily distracted’. That is definitely one HUGE point I’ll have to work on. Moreover, with the class having a range of abilities, some advancing so quickly while others lagging behind by a great deal, it was really a great challenge to find the right pace when I was going through the answers. Well, that still remains a challenge, but I’m working on it!

    - After school, I met up with all the station masters (the best 7 math students from each class) to brief them about the upcoming Math Trail and allocated their duties. After the short briefing, they were off to test out the Math Trail. With this being my first project, I was elated to see all of them enjoying themselves while running from station to station, wrecking their brains, trying to get the right answers to each question in the booklet. Even without any reward, they were just as competitive! When the time was up, all of them rushed back to the initial meet up point to gather. All sweaty, panting as if they have just completed their 2.4km run, they were still trying very hard to complete some of the questions. Such zeal and fervor seen from these students during and after the math trail gave me a huge sense of accomplishment. The math trail which we have been working on for weeks have finally been put to test, and was a great success! With dozens of questions posted to us after the entire session, it was clear that these students had a lot of fun and was eager to know more about what the REAL event would be like, and that they were looking forward to it. Hopefully, the rest of the Secondary One students will have the same amount of fun (maybe more) as these student leaders!

    ReplyDelete
  28. 12 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Chinese New Year Celebration!

    --- HAPPY HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR TO ALL!!! ---

    ReplyDelete
  29. 17 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Li Hui’s Sec 3NA (311) Math lesson
    - Staff Meeting on Professional Learning Community (PLC) – Weight management

    Highlights / Challenges / Reflections / Learning Points :
    - PLC in the morning was very meaningful as being part of this Weight Management Team made us (Li Hui and I) a lot more health conscious! With plentiful information disseminated to us during the session, we gained a lot more knowledge. Be it how to keep a balanced diet or what kind of exercise would be most suitable for us. After today’s session, we willingly volunteered ourselves to take part in the weekly pro-fitness programme conducted every Wednesday morning for these under and overweight students.

    - Today was the first time observing my fellow intern’s lesson. It was a really good gauge as to how I was expected to perform. From how the class is being managed, to the method of teaching. It was really a good experience as I could learn from another amateur teacher’s strengths and weaknesses. (:

    ReplyDelete
  30. 18 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Mr Chiu’s Sec 1NT (121) Social Studies Lesson
    2. Ms Teh’s Sec 1Exp (101) MATH TRAIL
    3. Ms Teh’s Sec 1Exp (103) MATH TRAIL

    Highlights/Challenges:
    - During 121’s Social Studies class, the teacher decided to conduct an election for the Chief and Assistant Chief. After a session of what seemed like just finger-pointing and shouting of names, there was finally a list of names on the board. “Tell the class why you would like to be the chief?” was the question posted to all the nominees. A petite little boy shouted out, “BECAUSE I WANT TO COOOOOKK…… AND I WANT TO EATTT……” I think he was thinking about being a chef instead of a chief! It was hilarious.

    Another hilarious moment was when the teacher was elaborating on the word ‘malnutrition’ and asked a student what he ate for dinner the previous day. He proudly answered “STEAMBOAT!” The class was filled with ‘Whoaaaaaa!!!’ Then another question was posted to him “What did you put inside the steamboat?” He replied, “Uhhhh… SUSHI! And… EGG! And….. RICE!”

    Hearing these simple, spontaneous (and wrong) answers from the young ones made me think, “These students have SO MUCH to learn” and how I wish I could see them grow to become mature and knowledgeable young adults in years to come.

    - Today, Ms Ginny, Li Hui and I conducted the Math Trail for the first two classes, 101 and 103. It was good to see the bunch of them having so much fun running around the campus, working together as a team, trying their best to complete the trail. One memorable image was seeing a number of them lying on the basketball court as they decided to use their heights to measure the dimensions of the court! It’s amazing how these young minds work, and to think that I used to be like them before, it really brought back lots of memories. Furthermore, the station masters carried out their duties well as they showcased their leadership skills, encouraging, motivating, and leading their classmates as they arrived at the various stations. To sum it all up, MATH TRAIL = HUGE SUCCESS!! (and reaaally tiring!)

    Reflections/Learning Points:
    - “Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited, imagination encircles the world.”
    Activities like the math trail not only requires them to make use of the knowledge they have gained during their math lessons, but also their creativity when it comes to solving the problem in the shortest time possible, etc. I believe imagination is the key to success. With imagination you can go everywhere and anywhere. Without it, you go nowhere. Need I say more?

    ReplyDelete
  31. 19 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Classroom observations
    1. Ms Pow’s Sec 3NA (311) Math Lesson
    - TOTAL DEFENCE DAY (commemoration)

    Highlights/Challenges/Reflections/Learning Points:
    - Today was a commemoration to Total Defence Day thus all lessons ceased at 10am and the rest of the day was dedicated to activities related to Total Defence Day. The Secondary Ones were involved in military drills; the Secondary Twos ran out of the school for a ‘Kampong Chai Chee Trail’; the Secondary Threes were gathered in the hall building miniature bridges using twine and wooden chopsticks; while the Secondary Fours and Fives were learning survival cooking out in the field. I decided to attach myself to the programme of the Secondary Threes. Camp craft was not a foreign activity to me as I used to be a Girl Guide. While the Girl Guides and NCDCCs were busy teaching their groups of Sec 3s how to tie the different knots, I too, was walking around the hall, offering my help to the ones lagging behind. It was really heartening to see most of them immersed in this activity, willing to master the knots and later on build a bridge together with their group in the shortest time possible. Also, some of the NCDCC and Girl Guide members were as young as Secondary One! To think that they were able lead a group of Secondary Three students on their own, it was simply astonishing. It made me realize in situations like these, age does not matter anymore; all that matters is how much you know and how much more you’re willing to learn from others… Age is an invisible barrier that has to be overcome when it comes to learning. As mentioned before, even teachers learn from their students!

    ReplyDelete
  32. 22 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Sec 1Exp (101) Math lesson

    Highlights/Challenges/Reflections/Learning Points:
    - Today was the continuation of my math lesson with 101. It was slightly more ‘pressurising’ (so to say) as there was an NIE teacher (Tat Wee) sitting in to observe my lesson as well. Nonetheless, everything else was the same, with students participating actively, enthusiastically volunteering themselves to go up to the whiteboard to write down their solutions, and shouting out answers in class whenever asked. As I received the feedback from Ms Ginny from the previous lesson I conducted, I was more aware of my flaws and tried my very best to work on those areas that needed improvement (voice projection, etc.). I was so relieved that I was able to complete the entire ratio worksheet I set for them, so that they can spend the afternoon and evening completing the homework I assigned to them. It was a good start to the week, and I do hope the students actually absorbed everything I taught for the topic today!

    ReplyDelete
  33. 23 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Alpine House Meeting
    - Sec 1Exp (101) Math Lesson
    - Assembly (Total Defence skit by an external body)
    - Staff contact time (Yusheng and school updates)

    Highlights/Challenges/Reflections/Learning points:
    - The morning started off with House Meetings right after flag-raising. We made our way down to the canteen to attend the Alpine house meeting. It was a fruitful introductory session as the newly appointed level captains and vice-captains were called-up and introduced to the whole cohort. It was a pleasant surprise to see one of my students from 101 coming up to tell me that he was appointed vice-captain for the secondary one level. Well frankly, I always had a different impression of him, and termed him as ‘the notorious one’. Always chatty in class, a little rude at times, occasionally not doing his homework, etc. However, when he came up to me today with a shy smile etched on his face, I was certain that he would be able to carry out his role well. A capable leader with modesty and responsibility. All I said to him was ‘You’re now a leader, so remember to behave in class too! Only then, will you become a good leader. Don’t forget’. After the short introductory session, it was time for the students to sign up for the Sports Day events. It was heartening to see many of them crowding around the sign-up form, trying very hard to be the next one holding the pen (even when they were asked to settle down, they couldn’t!). All in all, I’ll be looking forward to the actual event as I may be (and will be) able to witness the strong sportsmanship of the students I’m familiar with!

    - Today was yet another continuation to my math lesson with 101. I went through the homework assignment I gave them yesterday. Thankfully all of them (except 3 naughty ones) completed the assignment. However, I encountered certain difficulties when delivering the lesson. They were so confused when it came to algebra that I had a hard time explaining it to them. Math in primary school were all numbers, unknowns were solved by the model method, when it came to random alphabets, the first reaction would be ‘HUH?!’ Thus, I understood how they were feeling, and how intimidated they were by the alphabets. It was pretty difficult for them to ‘accept’ an algebraic alphabet as an unknown number and it seemed much more confusing in a math equation. (Yes, algebra was a nightmare when I was their age! Haha.)

    After spending almost 15minutes on a simple algebra equation, they finally understood a little more of what algebra meant (phew). After all the required was carried out, I spent the last 5 minutes or so getting them to write a feedback for me. I handed out tiny slips of coloured paper to them for them to write down their name, 3 things about themselves for me to know them better, 2 things they learnt from my lessons and 1 thing they did not understand. The response was generally good, with students writing in valuable feedback like how they like group work and that they would like to learn how to solve more challenging math problems. When it came to ‘1 thing you did not understand/would like to know’ many wrote that they were still confused about the relation between ratio and algebra. So yes, I will have to slot this into my next lesson, to further clarify the things they were confused with, and perhaps add group work into my lesson plan.

    ReplyDelete
  34. 24 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Staff Meeting on Integrated Programme Week (IPW)

    ReplyDelete
  35. 25 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Sec 1NA (111) Math Trail
    - Sec 1Exp (101) Math Lesson / IPW introduction

    Highlights/Challenges/Reflections/Learning points:
    - This morning was class 111’s math trail. Li Hui (my fellow intern) was conducting her lesson with the Secondary 3NA class thus was not able to assist me in this activity. The students were so hyped about the fact that they were going for the math trail instead of sitting in for normal math lessons, making it pretty hard to get them all to settled down, for us to dissipate the necessary instructions. After a short briefing, they were off to their respective stations in their groups of six. Having to be able to witness the excitement of these kids, it really gave me a certain sense of accomplishment as both Li Hui and I put in a lot of time and effort to make this math trail possible. (:

    - The highlight for today was my math lesson with class 101. After hearing from the principal that the vice-principal would be sitting in to observe my lesson, I was a tad bit nervous. Also, there were two other teachers sitting in together with the VP, Ms Ginny and Mr Chua. Having 3 teachers observing my lesson was indeed a pretty intimidating thought. All in all, the lesson was carried out as per normal. However, as mentioned before, I slotted in time to discuss the questions on algebra (and the finally understood!) and also started the new topic, rate, with a little group activity. The classroom turned into a market with students chattering in all directions, some were running up and down the walkway to write their answers on the whiteboard, etc. The students were having so much fun with the amount of freedom they were given to do their discussions, and were asking me all sorts of questions pertaining to the topic.

    Unfortunately, the lesson had to end there, after wrapping up the activity, as Ms Ginny had to spend the rest of the time going through with them the required skills/knowledge they will need for next week’s IPW. From the worksheet handed out to them for practice, I had a brief idea of what IPW was going to be like. The Secondary One students will all be going to Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve for their activities next week for IPW. Filling in worksheets, doing up a short video clip, etc. With the content knowledge they have gained through these few months in Ping Yi, they are required to use all of it within this one week. How exciting. I am definitely looking forward to the fun and exciting activities planned out for the whole school for the whole of next week!

    ReplyDelete
  36. 26 February 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Sec 1NA (113) Math Trail
    - Sec 1NA (112) Math Trail

    Highlights/Challenges/Reflections/Learning points:
    - Today was ‘Math trail marathon’ as I spent the morning and afternoon conducting the trail for two of the Secondary One Normal Academic classes. Responses were good, with all of them participating enthusiastically, running all around the school compounds, encouraging their fellow classmates, etc. This marked the end of our mathematics trail with the secondary ones, and I can gladly say that it was a huge success! Of course, I do hope that the secondary ones actually gained something from this short activity, and perhaps have built a closer relationship with their classmates through this session.

    ReplyDelete
  37. 1 March 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Integrated Programme Week (IPW) activities – Sec 2Exp – Day ONE:
    1. Excursion to the Masjid Al-Ansar Mosque
    2. Circle time: Team Building, Setting of team rules
    3. Briefing on IPW by Mr Ryan Neo
    4. History of Chai Chee by Mr Rezal
    5. Daily Reflections

    Highlights/Challenges/Reflections/Learning Points:
    - Today marked the commencement of the Integrated Programme Week whereby a whole line of activities, in school or out, would be carried out this entire week instead of regular classroom lessons. I was allotted to be in the Secondary 2 Express team for the whole week of activities. The main objective behind the programme planned out for the Secondary 2s was for them to understand the history of the Chai Chee neighbourhood and to learn how the various communities within this neighbourhood are interdependent of one another. After all that they will be going through, they are required to complete 2 tasks. One is the still picture assignment; the other is the creation of 2 websites per group (I sense a challenging yet exciting adventure awaiting for us). The programme for the sec 2s started with an excursion to the near by mosque Masjid Al-Ansar Mosque. The trip was very interesting, even for myself, as it has been a pretty long time since I’ve stepped into the mosque (probably during an excursion when I was in Sec 2!)

    After the session at the mosque, we headed back to school and it was Circle Time. I was assigned two groups from class 202 to manage. We did a little introductory session for me to familiarize with them and then a team-building activity together before sitting down in a circle to get down to ‘serious business’. We had a thorough reflection on the team-building activity carried out previously, to elaborate more on teamwork, leadership, etc. After several rounds of sharing, we went through a round of voting to appoint the group leader and assistant leader for each group and then went on to creating group rules. It was a joy to see these students enjoying themselves, fighting for the leadership roles, discussing and coming up with interesting rules for their respective groups, all within that one hour. And the rest of the day’s activities were carried out by the respective tutors…

    ReplyDelete
  38. 2 March 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Integrated Programme Week (IPW) activities – Sec 2Exp – Day TWO:
    1. NE Gallery Visit
    2. Excursion to Bethesda Cathedral
    3. Project Update and Consultation
    4. Daily Reflections

    Highlights/Challenges/Reflections/Learning Points:
    - Today was day two of the exciting IPW week. The programme for today was an NE activity around school and then a visit to the nearby Bethesda Cathedral. After flag-raising, all the sec 2 students gathered at a common point for a short briefing and then off they went to the various NE corners in the school. In fact, the school has an impressive collection of NE information. From the school’s archives next to the canteen, the past events posted up on the 2nd floor and information on Singapore’s history as a whole on the 3rd floor. Thus, the students were making their way to the various stations, in their little groups, to complete the worksheet handed out to them. Just by stationing myself at one of the corners, I was able to read up and gain more knowledge on Ping Yi’s past!

    Next was the excursion to the Bethesda Cathedral. It was an enriching experience for not only the students, but also for myself. As a free-thinker, I know little of the various religions thus making these trips to the different religious institutions a very fruitful one. The interiors of the church all had a story behind its development, which awed the students and thus sparked off their interest in the guide’s thorough explanations. Many were taking down notes, some were taking pictures of anything and everything. It was very moving to see all of them taking this activity very seriously and that they are putting in their 101% of effort to do well for their project tasks.

    After the excursion, we returned back to school to conduct the daily group consultations and discussions followed by daily reflections… That was all for today!

    ReplyDelete
  39. 3 March 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Integrated Programme Week (IPW) activities – Sec 2Exp – DAY THREE:
    1. Excursion to Chai Chee United Temple
    2. Project Update and Consultation
    3. Mathematics activity with Mdm Anisa
    4. Daily Reflections
    5. Camp Briefing

    Highlights/Challenges/Reflections/Learning Points:
    - The last excursion was the visit to the Chinese Temple. Many students reflected in their worksheets that they felt pretty uncomfortable during this trip as the smell from the burning of joss sticks was overwhelming and the large statues of the gods and other creatures were all crammed into the little common hall, making it rather difficult for them to move around. Even so, I was happy to see the students lending a listening ear to the guide at the temple, and also asking valuable questions at times so that they can use it for their projects. Then again, alike the other two religious institutions, I did gain a lot of knowledge on the religion and its practices. Another enriching experience once again!

    After returning from the temple, the students were given time to consolidate their information and discuss about their project tasks. Mdm Anisa conducted her math activity after that followed by the usual daily reflections then a camp briefing by Mr Rezal. All in all, I think IPW is a very interesting method of ‘teaching’, where the students can have a lot of fun, yet at the same time cover the required syllabus. A great new experience gained from my internship in Ping Yi. (:

    ReplyDelete
  40. 4 March 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Integrated Programme Week (IPW) activities – Sec 2 – DAY FOUR:
    1. 2 Day 1 Night Camp at the MOE Dairy Farm Adventure Centre

    Highlights/Challenges/Reflections/Learning Points:
    - THE day all the Secondary Twos were looking forward to, has finally arrived. I must say, I was looking forward to it myself as this would be my first time going for a camp as a teacher and not as a student. I used to be a Peer Support Leader, CCA leader, Prefect and Girl Guide in Secondary School, and these roles gave me the opportunity to experience the smorgasbord of activities the school had in place for the students. As such, I participated in all the camps I could sign up for (well, some were compulsory) and really enjoyed the multiple camp experiences. Well, what I was really looking forward to was the fact that I could witness these Secondary Two students enjoying the experience of their lives, something which may be a significant memory in the mere future…

    As I arrived in school in the crack of dawn, I saw many of my students lugging their camping ‘baggage’ to the canteen to meet their fellow schoolmates. They were all thrilled about the camp, laughing and blabbering on and on, using phrases like ‘what if’, as if predicting what they will be experiencing at the camp. The anticipation of these students was intense and that made me equally as excited as them.

    At the campsite, they participated in a range of activities such as rock climbing, abseiling, outdoor cooking, nature walk, etc. The students were having a blast, so was I. Snapping shots of the students, capturing all those moments that they might remember for life, with my little black camera, made it so much more meaningful. What’s more, the words of encouragement that filled the air, for those who were trying to overcome their fears or perhaps aiming to achieve something much more challenging, made me feel all tingly inside. It was so heart-warming, so touching…

    Aside from all those, the night hike was pretty much the highlight for me. Why? That was when it was my turn to overcome my own fears, achluophobia and phasmophobia. Initially when I heard that every teacher had to station themselves at a corner of the night hike trail to ensure the safety of the students, I was terrified. Luckily, we had an instructor attached to each of us, which made it more comforting, but nonetheless, it was a great experience, and a great accomplishment for me (you have no idea how cowardly I am).

    As the day came to an end, I packed by bag and left the campsite, feeling all sad inside as I was unable to stay overnight with the rest (due to the release of A level results the next day) Nevertheless, I was glad I was given this opportunity to experience camp in the shoes of a teacher! An experience I’ll never forget. :]

    ReplyDelete
  41. 5 March 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Integrated Programme Week (IPW) activities – Sec 4NA – DAY FIVE:
    1. Excursion to Sentosa’s Resort World and Mount Faber

    Highlights/Challenges:
    - Today was the last day of the IPW week. As I could no longer attach myself to the Secondary Twos at camp, I was reassigned to the Secondary 4NA team who were all heading down to Sentosa that morning. It was pretty exciting as I have not been there to see the new developments, which have been the talk of the nation the past few months. Also, I have never been attached to any Sec 4 NA class since the start of my internship so it was a good experience to be able to mingle with this bunch of students. It did not take me long to click with them (We’re just 3 years apart from them anyway). All in all, the trip was a fruitful one and now I can proudly say that ‘I’ve been to the IR!’

    ReplyDelete
  42. 8 March 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Sec 1Exp (101) Math lesson

    Highlights / Challenges / Reflections / Learning Points:
    - Today was the very first time I had to conduct my math lesson and manage the class on my own as my buddy teacher was on medical leave. It was a rather intimidating thought as first, as I started questioning my ability to manage the class and maintain discipline in the classroom. However, I took this as a challenge, an uphill task to test what I was really capable of doing as a teacher. Having taught 101 for almost 3 weeks now, I was already accustomed to the students. That includes their intellectual ability and behaviour in class.

    As I entered the class alone, many were questioning me about their teacher, asking where she was and so on… When they heard that she was not going to be there for their math lesson, the noise level within the four walls of the classroom increased a little more than usual... Their teacher, Ms Ginny, was always on task, and handled her students very well in terms of class discipline, thus I believe that they saw me as a new teacher who was not capable of punishing them to a certain extent, and tried to take advantage of my lack of experience. However, to my surprise, as I started the lesson, there were a number of outstanding individuals who took the initiative to help me maintain the silence in the class, and all of them were doing their assignments very diligently. Some of them even completed the whole assignment beforehand! I was pretty impressed. As such, my first lesson with them alone was rather successful, and with this very first experience, I am now assured that I am capable of standing before the students as a teacher! (:

    ReplyDelete
  43. 9 March 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Ms Teh’s Sec 1Exp (101) Math Lesson
    - Assembly (YOG presentation)
    - House Meeting for sports day
    - Staff contact time

    Highlights / Challenges / Reflections / Learning points:
    - The assembly period dedicated to the Youth Olympic Games was a useful session for all of us, including the teachers. Through the eye-opening introductory video played at the beginning, I was able to gain insights on what the Youth Olympic Games was all about (well frankly, I was pretty clueless about it at first). With the many views from the public as screened in the video, it not only educated me on its purpose and goals but the wise words from those individuals, young and old, really inspired me. However, what was running through my head during that time, was if the video was able to reach out to all the students seated before me, to be inspired and motivated, and also to be proud of the nation. I’m quite sure it did!

    - After the YOG session, everyone dispersed into their various houses at the respective venues. With no house assigned to me, I decided to head down to the canteen for Alpine’s house meeting, since I was there for the past two meetings. The time was solely dedicated to tomorrow’s Sports Meet and the discussion concentrated more on the spirit of the team, teaching the members the house cheers so that they can cheer for their ‘house-mates’ during tomorrow’s big event. I believe screening the YOG video before the meeting was a very strategic move, as I noticed that the students were slightly more excited and high-spirited as compared to the previous meetings. As much, the cheerleading session was a loud and energetic one, with all the students participating actively, making this session, truly, a pleasant sight!

    ReplyDelete
  44. 10 March 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - SPORTS DAY at Bedok Stadium

    ReplyDelete
  45. 11 March 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Ms Teh’s Sec 1Exp (101) Math Lesson

    Highlights / Challenges / Reflections / Learning points:
    - Collecting homework from students is a nightmare! Well, not that I dread marking, in fact I do enjoy marking a lot, but it is the chasing (time and again) that makes it an atrocious duty. “Ms Rimiko, I lost my worksheet”, “Ms Rimiko, I forgot to bring my file”, “Ms Rimiko, I did not bring my homework”, “Ms Rimiko, I didn’t do it”…… Now that I am the protagonist that is supposed to be collecting the homework instead of doing them, I am really starting to feel sorry for the teachers who have tolerated with me for the many years I’ve been a student myself! All in all, that is one huge challenge I face. Thus, I believe respect and responsibility is the key to this problem. Earning the respect from these youthful individuals, making them feel responsible for the consequences, are all part and parcel of developing a good ‘homework practice’. And that will be something I’ll focus and improve on! (:

    ReplyDelete
  46. 11 March 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Ms Teh’s Sec 1Exp (101) Math Lesson

    Highlights / Challenges / Reflections / Learning points:
    - Collecting homework from students is a nightmare! Well, not that I dread marking, in fact I do enjoy marking a lot, but it is the chasing (time and again) that makes it an atrocious duty. “Ms Rimiko, I lost my worksheet”, “Ms Rimiko, I forgot to bring my file”, “Ms Rimiko, I did not bring my homework”, “Ms Rimiko, I didn’t do it”…… Now that I am the protagonist that is supposed to be collecting the homework instead of doing them, I am really starting to feel sorry for the teachers who have tolerated with me for the many years I’ve been a student myself! All in all, that is one huge challenge I face. Thus, I believe respect and responsibility is the key to this problem. Earning the respect from these youthful individuals, making them feel responsible for the consequences, are all part and parcel of developing a good ‘homework practice’. And that will be something I’ll focus and improve on! (:

    ReplyDelete
  47. 12 March 2010

    Activities involved in e.g. classroom observation, participation in staff meetings:
    - Marking of Sec 4NA Mock exam papers.

    Highlights / Challenges / Reflections / Learning points:
    - Today was officially the last day of this internship (but of course, I have decided to extend my stay for another term). With no lessons assigned to me, I spent the day sitting in the staff room marking the secondary 4NA mock exam papers. Now, I am really starting to appreciate all the hard work my teachers have put in. I never knew marking was so tough! Especially marking the same thick set of exam paper, FORTY TIMES! Nonetheless, since I enjoy marking, I saw it as a ‘recreational activity’ rather than a nightmare. Come to think of it, it was also pretty entertaining to see how silly some of the students’ answers can be. *Haha*

    - All in all, to sum up my internship at Ping Yi Secondary School, I am proud to say that I have learnt SO MUCH from this experience. No doubt, there was always something I could take home everyday. No, not homework, but the memories, life skills, and the teaching experiences. Not to forget, the great camaraderie forged in the staffroom and the classrooms, both teachers and students, have also made my stay an extremely meaningful one. As such, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all who have been a part of my experience in Ping Yi in one way or another, those who have taught me something new each and every day of my internship. Thank you so much. (and happy holidays!)

    - Rimiko.

    ReplyDelete